Hey everyone! I'm new to woodworking and have a quick question. After staining wood, do I need to apply a wood finish, or can I just use a satin finish spray to seal it? Any advice would be really appreciated!
2 Answers
Definitely, you need to apply a finish after staining! While satin finish sprays can work for smaller projects, I wouldn’t recommend them for bigger items like tables.
Stain is pretty much just color, think of it as adding a tint. The wood finish acts like a protective layer over that color. I usually go for boiled linseed oil for furniture, as it dries over time and gives a nice amber glow. For added protection and sheen, I use paste wax over the oil. Your satin spray is similar to that plastic top coat I mentioned. Just find a finish you enjoy working with! And try it on a scrap piece of wood first to see how it looks!
I learned the hard way not to rush drying! I used linseed oil on a sunny day, and it turned my wood black. Yikes!